Now that is definitely a Bank Bully, glad you tamed him with the Tenryu. That reel set and handle looks good. Congratulations!
So I was fishing off our dock for bluegill and crappies yesterday, I caught a few but all small. I flipped a cast over to the shoreline and had an immediate take. I set the hook and could quickly tell that this was not a normal gill or crappie, the drag started to sing and the line was heading west, fast! I wasn't too sure what kind of fish was on but I thought it was a big catfish or white bass, I was using a salmon colored trout magnet. I was fighting this fish for a while and made some ground with it as I called up to my wife to get the net.
She came running down the stairs and the fish rose to the top, made a swirl and spit the hook!! Darn it ! It was still too far out and full of energy so the net wouldn't have helped out at that point anyway. My wife looked and me all slumped over and said, "maybe he'll come back". I thought to myself, they never give you a second chance...
I started casting again and caught a small crappie, and then looked over to the shoreline and flipped a cast over to the same area I had the big hook up, something big swirled but I didn't hook up, I quickly sent the trout magnet back on it's way and BOOM, big hit! The drag was off and singing again, this time the fish was heading down and got hung up in a log, I had to give it a little line and it freed itself and started heading out towards the end of the dock. I was fighting this fish, which by then I knew it had to be a good sized catfish, for atleast 10 minutes. I called my wife down again but this fish was not going to give up easy.
The fight continued on for another good five minutes and still I could not get the fish to come up hardly at all, I was at the mercy of the Tenyru Rayz Alter 61 LT and 3lb Fireline Crystal. I don't how many times I had to steer the fish away from under the dock and from going towards the shoreline and the whole time the Tenryu was bent to the point I could imagine it snapping right in half, but it continued to stay in the fight.
Finally I could feel the fish starting to come up to surface but the water was so muddy we couldn't see it even though it was just a few feet down. Just then the fish surfaced and my wife said, "I'm getting the bigger net!" To end the long story, we netted the Flathead catfish, took a few pictures, and sent him back to the muddy water after making sure he was ok.
It was a battle to remember, by far my biggest fish ever on light tackle and it was a blast, and I was tired ! I told my wife, I think I'm done for today...lol.
Now that is definitely a Bank Bully, glad you tamed him with the Tenryu. That reel set and handle looks good. Congratulations!
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Nice looking rig and a better story. Sounds like a blast!
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That WAS a terrific story and what a fish. The Tenryu rods are tough. I’ve had my baby Luna bent way over, but not like what you had! Congrats.
Bob
PS I thought you were going to say the Lost TM was in its mouth!
B
RVG Fishing thanked you for this post
Now that my friends is how you test out a rod Awesome job on taming the line slimer. Question on the salmon fix colored trout magnet... I have used a good number of times for trout but never have for gills or crappie... is it a food producer for you?
RVG Fishing thanked you for this post
I usually throw back everything I catch but I use this color as well as yellow, chartreuse, pink, and any bright colors. The lake I fish stays muddy or stained quite often. Those colors have produced largemouth bass, white bass, perch, bluegills, warmouths, shellcrackers, crappies, channel cats, and flatheads. A great lure for sure but I always sharpen the hooks before I use them.
Great catch.....area trout rods can handle some pretty big fish in flat water.
Regards
Sent from my iPad using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app
RVG Fishing thanked you for this post
A very well told story, I enjoyed the read. Ive gotten a Couple of cats up to 3.5lbs and they just don’t quit!! Glad you got him to the net and said hello, doesn’t always go that way. Quite a fish and quite an accomplishment. Thanks for the share.
Creativity is just intelligence fooling aroundRVG Fishing thanked you for this post
I have the Rayz Alter in the UL and absolutely love it!! It is an awesome piece of equipment with great sensitivity and wonderful toughness. Great story and congratulations!
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